MELBOURNE, Australia — A tragic seaplane incident occurred during takeoff from a popular tourist destination in Australia, claiming the lives of three individuals, including tourists from Switzerland and Denmark, while injuring three others. The accident took place on Tuesday afternoon on Rottnest Island, according to police reports.
Of the seven passengers aboard the Cessna 208 Caravan, only one was unharmed after the crash. The seaplane, operated by Swan River Seaplanes, was en route back to its base in Perth, located approximately 30 kilometers (19 miles) east of the island, which is also known by its Indigenous name, Wadjemup.
The victims included a 65-year-old woman from Switzerland, a 60-year-old male tourist from Denmark, and the 34-year-old pilot, also from Perth, as confirmed by Western Australian Premier Roger Cook. The surviving partners of the deceased tourists, a 63-year-old Swiss man and a 58-year-old Danish woman, were among the three who escaped serious harm. Additionally, a local couple consisting of a 65-year-old woman and a 63-year-old man also survived the tragic event.
The uninjured passenger’s identity remains uncertain, but Western Australian Police Commissioner Col Blanch stated that none of the survivors suffered life-threatening injuries. The injured individuals were subsequently transported to a hospital in Perth for treatment.
The cause of the crash has not been determined yet. Preliminary reports suggested that the plane may have collided with a rock near the bay’s entrance, but this could not be substantiated with the available video footage, as indicated by Cook.
Renowned for its picturesque beaches and unique quokkas—small marsupials not commonly found on the Australian mainland—Rottnest Island is currently a bustling tourist hub, with all accommodation fully booked during this peak Southern Hemisphere summer season. “Every Western Australian knows that Rottnest is our premier tourism destination,” Cook remarked to the media. “To witness such a devastating event in a locale that brings immense joy, especially at this time, is profoundly distressing.”
Blanch reported that police divers successfully retrieved the victims’ bodies Tuesday evening from a depth of 8 meters (26 feet), and efforts to recover the wreckage of the aircraft were ongoing. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau, responsible for aviation crash investigations, confirmed that a team of specialists has been dispatched to the site of the incident. According to ATSB’s chief commissioner Angus Mitchell, the seaplane reportedly collided with the water during takeoff, leading to it becoming partially submerged.
Witness Greg Quin, a tourist on Rottnest Island, recounted his experience of witnessing the crash. “We were watching the seaplane take off when it suddenly tipped over and went down,” Quin shared with Australian Broadcasting Corporation radio in Perth. He noted that many boaters in the vicinity quickly rushed to assist.
In response to the unfortunate event, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese expressed his condolences, labeling it “terrible news.” He remarked, “The images of this incident would have reached many Australians as they started their day. My thoughts are with all those affected.”
